From The Sun newspaper http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007190295,00.html
"THOUSANDS of rich women were conned by a firm into believing LAMBS were valuable miniature POODLES.
Entire flocks were imported to Japan from the UK and Australia then sold by the internet company as the latest “must have” pet.
The bizarre scam was rumbled when Japanese movie star Maiko Kawakami complained on a talk show that her new poodle refused to bark or eat dog food.
She showed photos of the animal and was devastated when told that it was a lamb."
This story of the actress and the dog, er lamb is like a whole genre of poodle stories--- many tend to include misuse of microwave ovens. Its clearly just reporting a (bad) joke as news. Its been widely reported in the media like the telephone game. In our analysis of the stories and the use of language the source seems to be exclusively "The Sun". All the news that's ill-fit to print.. 'Cause good journalism is "extremely rare" with "many people having little idea" what a properly researched and written story is like..
This is not just a malaise of the "news" but typical in most areas including even science and technology. Most managers, including those presiding over information technology investments at many of the largest companies in the world (including even those making and selling information technology products), it seems can't--- lacking great experience with the interna of IT projects--- distinguish between a "code kiddie" and an elite systems developer. Most often its just the most shallow level of what ones sees in a interface that matters, ignoring the difference details make.
To paraphrase the story: Quality is "extremely rare" with "many people having little idea what they look like".
Its the recognition of this fundamental human trait with the twist of the well known excessiveness of Japanese trends, love of exotic and imported and wacky fashion consciousness as high culture that makes the story work.
This just barks
This just barks